SIATech Los Angeles High School Students will Share their Experiences of Dropping Out with UCLA Doctoral Students on Friday, April 16

Every Re-Enrolled Student Has A Story

LOS ANGELES, April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Every re-enrolled dropout has distinctive issues surrounding their decision to drop out of school. Student stories range from teen pregnancy to gang participation to substance abuse to simply not feeling engaged in the classroom. Five students from the SIATech Los Angeles campus have been invited to UCLA's School of Education to share their experiences in education.

SIATech Los Angeles is part of a network of charter high schools focused on low-income students who have previously dropped out of school. The students will present their personal stories of dropping out and re-enrolling at SIATech as well as their research findings on the dropout crisis this Friday, April 16 at UCLA's Moore Hall.

This is the first time the SIATech Los Angeles students will present their stories to a university audience. SIATech Inland Empire students have made similar presentations at CSU San Bernardino and CSU Long Beach. Read press coverage, audience feedback, and view their presentation slides.

The SIATech students' presentations fill a gap in the current dropout crisis discourse by giving a voice to re-enrolled dropouts. Principal Jake Gordon explains, "This is an important learning opportunity for our SIATech L.A. students to share their voices of wisdom about the schooling system and how it can be improved in their communities. For UCLA's PhD candidates, it provides them an 'insider's voice' from our students on the most pressing issues in schools that disengage them. High school students dialoguing with educational researchers at one of top institutions such as UCLA's School of Education is an important bridge to build in order to create more effective schools in our communities. Sound educational policy and research needs to be informed by the voices of our students who are usually not included in the process."

WHAT: "Student Voices on the Dropout Crisis"

WHO:   Students:  Giovanni Garcia, Karina Reyes, Madie, Jessica Lara, Edward Alfonso Garcia Jr.

(Click here for student profiles and photos)

Facilitators: Principal Jake Gordon and Dr. Daniel Solorzano

WHEN: Friday, April 16, 2010, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

WHERE: UCLA School of Education, Moore Hall, Room 3320

405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90095-1521 (Directions)

Education 288: Research Apprenticeship Course "Race, Racism, and Education"

About SIATech

SIATech® (pronounced SIGH-a-tek) is an award-winning dropout recovery program. SIATech is a fully accredited network of public charter high schools that operates in partnership with Job Corps and WIA programs. The schools serve low-income, previously out-of-school youth. SIATech excels at identifying student strengths and individualizing instruction to meet each student's needs and goals. The school's safe and caring setting enables students to take charge of their learning and obtain the tools needed to be college- and career-ready. SIATech's eight California school sites have graduated more than 6,000 of California's previous dropouts since 1998. www.siatech.org

SOURCE SIATech